ringleader, Brian McCulloch, 39, from Paisley, who was caught on tape boasting that he made £20,000 a day selling the drug

ringleader, Brian McCulloch, 39, from Paisley, who was caught on tape boasting that he made £20,000 a day selling the drug, was jailed for 10 years. The court was told that he was caught when he bought a BMW jeep, which had a police listening device installed inside, from his co-accused Stephen Jamieson. Jamieson, 26, also from Paisley and who was jailed for eight years, used his profits to buy a £115,000 Lamborghini car, an £1,800 dog and three watches together costing £10,315. Steven Caddis, 30, and Gary Caddis were sentenced to six years and five years. The court was told that the men were overheard by police using codewords while discussing buying and selling cocaine, mentioning prices that ran into tens of thousands of pounds. Strathclyde Police searched 171 houses and questioned 146 people. Officers have so far seized drugs and drug-related material worth £8.8 million, £445,000 in cash, two Mac-10 machineguns and an assortment of sawn-off shotguns, rifles, handguns and ammunition. They also took three Range Rovers, one BMW X5, one BMW X3, one Lexus and one Porsche Cayenne, as well as five Rolex watches, two Cartier watches and one Breitling watch. At an earlier hearing all four men admitted dealing cocaine. Jamieson also pleaded guilty to money laundering. Judge Lord Pentland said the sentences reflected “society’s condemnation” of the activities of gangs such as McCulloch’s. He told him: “It is a trade which wreaks so much misery on its users and their families. It is clear that you were one of those particularly concerned with organising and running an extensive criminal scheme involving large amounts of cocaine. The quantities and values of the drugs involved were substantial.”
The judge commended the police for their “skill and diligence” in bringing the gang to justice.

indictment charging Eric McPeters, Dean Moya and Richard Vickery with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine

indictment charging Eric McPeters, Dean Moya and Richard Vickery with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. All three men are from Helmet, California. Investigators say the Department of Homeland Security tracked the aircraft from northern New Mexico on October 22nd. A drug-sniffing dog helped officers locate a huge stash of cocaine in two large suitcases on the plane.
Each defendant faces a minimum prison term of ten years if convicted on the charges.

18-year-old Shea (shay) Fraser,Judge Fraser's daughter was taken into custody Tuesday

Judge Fraser's daughter was taken into custody Tuesday in Marysville in central Ohio and charged with two counts of trafficking in heroin, one count of heroin possession and one count of complicity related to heroin trafficking.Police say she was among 18 people arrested from an undercover investigation. She remained jailed Thursday, awaiting an initial court appearance. A message seeking comment was left for her attorney.

Arrested Charles Edward Smith, 32, after a reverse purchase of drugs at a hotel

Arrested Charles Edward Smith, 32, after a reverse purchase of drugs at a hotel and brief foot pursuit in July 2008. Prosecutors said deputies found more than 100 grams of cocaine in Smith's possession.Smith admitted to buying about four ounces of the substance for $3,780 at the hotel.Smith's attorney told Hayes that his client, who has a vision problem that made it difficult to keep a job, got swept into dealing drugs because the money was too good and too quick.Prosecutors agreed to charge Smith with trafficking between 28 and 100 grams of cocaine provided that he serve 15 years and pay a $50,000 fine. Had Smith been convicted by trial, he would have faced a sentence of seven to 25 years.

Eight people have been arrested by the national police in Tenerife on charges of trafficking 800 grams of cocaine

Eight people have been arrested by the national police in Tenerife on charges of trafficking 800 grams of cocaine worth around 46,000 euros. The raids followed the detention of two suspects at Los Rodeos airport.One of the suspects was carrying a large amount of coke that he had digested into his body. He was taken to hospital in order to remover the drugs safely from his intestines. Subsequently several raids were carried out on houses on the island.The police found the 800 grams of cocaine and an equivalent amount of another power that they believe would be used to “cut” with the coke to double its volume. All of the eight arrested have records for drug trafficking and robbery with violence or intimidation.

John W. Bradberry, 39, of York, York County; and Terrance D. Pemberton, 39, of Harrisburg; were stopped last Friday

John W. Bradberry, 39, of York, York County; and Terrance D. Pemberton, 39, of Harrisburg; were stopped last Friday around 12:20 a.m. around mile marker 57, state police at Fogelsville said.Police said the men were pulled over because the tint on the windows was illegal. Two pounds and six ounces of cocaine were seized along with drug paraphernalia.Both were arraigned on charges of possession, possession with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal conspiracy and committed to Lehigh County jail under $50,000 bail.Pemberton, who also is known as Eric M. Lang, remains in jail. Bradberry posted bail the same day of his arrest and was released, according to court records.

Kevin Thomas, 47, of Route 52, was convicted Thursday of criminal sale of a controlled substance

Kevin Thomas, 47, of Route 52, was convicted Thursday of criminal sale of a controlled substance, a felony, following a jury trial in Ulster County Court.
Witnesses testified during the trial Thomas sold cocaine to a confidential informant of the Ulster County Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team on April 30.
Thomas remains jailed pending his sentencing, scheduled for Dec. 18.

extradition request for Christopher "Dudus" Coke

extradition request for Christopher "Dudus" Coke in August, has so far only responded with requests for more information about the gun and drug trafficking charges against the reputed gang leader.Coke, identified by the U.S. Justice Department as one of the world's most dangerous drug kingpins, allegedly controls a band of gunmen inside Tivoli Gardens, a barricaded neighborhood of Kingston, the capital of Jamaica and a city with one of the highest homicide rates in the Western Hemisphere.U.S. authorities are voicing frustration that Jamaica is not moving more quickly to honor a mutual extradition treaty."The U.S. government is looking forward to the Jamaican government respecting their obligations under the treaty," Patricia Attkisson, spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Kingston, said Thursday.The political opposition has also criticized the government for putting Jamaica into what it calls a standoff over Coke, who is known for his loyalty to the Jamaica Labor Party. Island gangs have loose affiliations with both major parties — a legacy of the 1970s, when political factions provided the guns to intimidate rivals."The cascading effect of international reaction to the administration's inaction could lead ultimately to Jamaica being labeled and declared a 'rogue state,' with lasting adverse implications for our people," said Peter Bunting, a lawmaker with the opposition People's National Party.A government spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.

Adrian Mosley, 39, and Anissa Mosley, 41, appeared on Thursday in a Beaumont federal courtroom, where they were formally charged with drug possession

Adrian Mosley, 39, and Anissa Mosley, 41, appeared on Thursday in a Beaumont federal courtroom, where they were formally charged with drug possession and intent to distribute cocaine.The case began July 29 when Beaumont police stopped their car for a routine traffic violation. A search of the vehicle netted 28 kilograms of cocaine, officials said.They were arrested Oct. 22 after a federal grand jury indicted them on the drug trafficking charges. A later search of their home in Pearland uncovered a cocaine processing lab, weapons, ledgers used in the drug trafficking and a money counting machine.Investigating the couple are the Drug Enforcement Administration's Galveston office, the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office and the Beaumont Police Department.

Michael Shawcross, 26, was stopped by officers from the UK Border Agency at Heathrow Airport as he stepped off a flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil

Michael Shawcross, 26, was stopped by officers from the UK Border Agency at Heathrow Airport as he stepped off a flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil, in September. He had been backpacking in South America before heading back to the UK.Shawcross, of Lower House Lane, Norris Green, was interviewed by officers from HM Revenue and Customs as investigators carried out tests on his rucksack and sleeping bag.Isleworth crown court heard the drugs had been washed with a liquid which was then impregnated into the lining of the bags.The 4kgs of 100% proof cocaine would be worth nearly £900,000 on the streets, HMRC said.On September 5, Shawcross pleaded guilty to trying to smuggle the drugs and he was sentenced to eight years behind bars, with a travel restriction order for three years after his release.Peter Avery, Assistant Director of HMRC Criminal Investigations, said: "We will continue to work closely with our UK Border Agency colleagues to detect and seize drugs smuggled into the UK and prosecute those involved."

Charged 30-year-old Eric Wayne McPeters, 40-year-old Dean Bryan Moya and 31-year-old Richard Allen Vickery of Hemet, Calif

Charged 30-year-old Eric Wayne McPeters, 40-year-old Dean Bryan Moya and 31-year-old Richard Allen Vickery of Hemet, Calif., with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.The Department of Homeland Security last Thursday identified a suspicious aircraft that had landed in Liberal. Liberal police were contacted and they requested assistance from the Southwest Kansas Drug Taskforce and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.A drug-sniffing dog was brought from the Beaver County (Okla.) Sheriff's Office and it hit on the 1964 Cessna 210D twice, according to a court document. A search warrant was obtained, and investigators found two suitcases containing 50 individually wrapped bricks of cocaine.Moya and Vickery were arrested at the Liberal Inn, but McPeters has not yet been taken into custody.Authorities said the plane was forced to land in Liberal because of bad weather.

33-year-old Bum Gu Kim and other members of his ring would buy cocaine from a source in Arizona and drive it up to Buffalo, N.Y.,

33-year-old Bum Gu Kim and other members of his ring would buy cocaine from a source in Arizona and drive it up to Buffalo, N.Y., where they crossed the border into Canada, Kim admitted. While in Canada, they would exchange the cocaine for Ecstasy and bring it back to Maryland, where they sold it wholesale to area drug dealers. The cocaine was allegedly purchased from Leonardo Aldana, an Arizona man who is currently awaiting sentencing after being convicted of distributing cocaine and methamphetamine. After listening to a phone conversation between Kim and a co-conspirator in June 2007, federal agents followed Kim to a parking lot near Arundel Mills Mall, where they watched him sell drugs to another person, court documents said. When agents attempted to pull the customer over, the customer fled and tossed 4,800 Ecstasy pills out his window. When the pills were tested in a federal lab, authorities say they found MDMA -- the chemical compound in Ecstasy -- and methamphetamine, more commonly known as speed. Prosecutors said they believed Kim distributed more than 400 pounds of Ecstasy because of the number of deals they overheard him arranging from taps on his cell phone. Kim was eventually arrested after the Internal Revenue Service linked him to the money-laundering scheme, court documents said. Kim would take the cash proceeds of from selling the Ecstasy and use it to pay off credit advances taken out at casinos in Buffalo and Ontario, Canada. He pleaded guilty to the drug distribution charge and money laundering in October 2008, court records show, nearly a year after federal authorities brought his drug-trafficking scheme to a halt. "Money laundering is not a victimless crime, said IRS Special Agent C. Andre Martin. "The underground, untaxed economy harms the nation's economic strength."

Yacub Koger, 36, of Chicago, formerly of Mattoon, was sentenced on the charge of delivery of a controlled substance

Yacub Koger, 36, of Chicago, formerly of Mattoon, was sentenced on the charge of delivery of a controlled substance to which he pleaded guilty in July. He admitted selling cocaine in Mattoon on Aug. 4, 2006, and charges that also accused him of selling the drug on two other days during the same month were dismissed.When Koger pleaded guilty, the agreement in his case was that the conviction required a prison sentence of six to 30 years because of his prior convictions. Assistant State’s Attorney Mick McAvoy agreed at that time to ask for no more than a 10-year prison sentence.An investigation into Koger’s criminal record revealed that Koger wasn’t eligible for that sentencing range, though a three- to seven-year prison term was required. Records showed that Koger had earlier criminal convictions but none of them were a level of offense to make the longer term mandatory.

Stephen Hawken, aged 48, was jailed for 11 years at Plymouth Crown Court yesterday after being described as "high up the tree" of dealing Class A drug

Stephen Hawken, aged 48, was jailed for 11 years at Plymouth Crown Court yesterday after being described as "high up the tree" of dealing Class A drugs in the city.
Speaking after sentencing, detectives who uncovered Hawken's secret arsenal described him as "an extremely dangerous man" who was a key figure in supplying cocaine and amphetamine to Plymouth's streets.His arrest came after a dramatic three-hour siege involving armed police at Hawken's exclusive Derriford property last November, ending only when he was shot with a baton round and Taser.
The court heard how shaven-headed Hawken had hidden parts of his guns everywhere from his coffee machine to behind the walls of his plush house in the private Delgany Drive.Thousands of pounds worth of drugs were found buried in next door's garden and a shotgun was found in a container on land near the house, the court heard.Prosecutor Jo Martin said Hawken's arrest was triggered by a separate drugs raid at a house in Warwick Avenue, Whitleigh.Officers seized amphetamines – but cocaine belonging to Hawken was not found, prompting he and another man to go to the address and recover it.Ms Martin told the court how they had gone back to Delgany Drive and buried the drugs, along with a cutting agent, in a garden belonging to Hawken's next door neighbour.The plastic container – covered in Hawken's fingerprints – was eventually found by a sniffer dog after the siege, she said.
The court heard how, on November 12, police swooped on the property and found a Taurus 9mm handgun and a stun-gun inside, the handgun disassembled and stashed in parts all over the house.Behind a double oven was the body, while the spring was found in the bottom of a gas fire and the 9mm barrel in Hawken's bar.
An empty pistol magazine was found behind plasterboard in his utility room, the court heard, and the top part – along with the stun-gun – were found in his wall-mounted coffee machine.There was ammunition behind the kitchen sink and 113 bullets soaking in oil – a process that maximises their performance – in Hawken's garage.
He told police in interviews that he knew nothing about the weapons, Ms Martin said, claiming they belonged to the previous owner of the house.
But the court heard how police widened their search after realising the extent of the haul and found a container on nearby land belonging to Hawken.
Inside was a shotgun, complete with ammunition.
Hawken's weapons were so well hidden, the court heard, that as recently as May a plumber working on a toilet in the house – which has since been repossessed – discovered another pistol magazine, this time containing seven live bullets.
Ms Martin told Judge Francis Gilbert QC that the guns and drugs combined showed Hawken had "high involvement in the Plymouth drugs scene".
She said: "They were all part of Stephen Hawken's armoury, to keep him high up the tree in the drugs scene.
"He was some way up the chain of command."
Hawken, wearing a shirt, jacket and jeans, appeared nervous as he sat in the dock fidgeting and making eye contact with the dozen or so family and friends there to support him.
He had been due to face trial but entered last-minute guilty pleas to seven of the nine counts against him.
They included possessing a class B drug – 345g of one per cent amphetamine – with intent to supply and a class A drug – 1,011g of nine per cent cocaine – also with intent, as well as possession of a stun gun, a handgun, a double-barrelled over-and-under shotgun, and ammunition without certificates.
The court heard how he had collected a string of convictions for drugs and firearms offences over the last two decades, already serving prison sentences totalling nine and a half years.
They date back to 1986 when, aged just 23, Hawken was caught in possession of a shotgun and ammunition without a certificate.
Since 1995 he has been convicted of possessing more ammunition, cannabis, amphetamines, MDMA and £20,000 in counterfeit currency.
Llewellyn Sellick, for Hawken, said his client deserved credit for his guilty plea, albeit last-minute.
"It was somewhat courageous of him to face reality," he said.
Mr Sellick told the court how, since last being released from prison, Hawken had built up a "thriving" company – Ace Plant Hire – and employed between six and eight people, subcontracting many more.
He had purchased his luxury house and won a number of large contracts, including working on a city police station.
But a developer Hawken was working with in Mannamead went bust in October last year, the court heard, owing him £100,000.
Since his arrest, Mr Sellick told the court, Hawken had lost both his home and his company.He said: "It was in the autumn of 2008 that things went terribly wrong.
"This is a man who had done considerably well – he's now gone right back to zero again."He added that the stun-gun found by police was missing a prong and a battery, meaning it would not have worked.Hawken was also charged with five fly-tipping offences between January 17 and February 23 last year.The court heard how building materials from a site in Stonehouse his firm was working at had been dumped in Dartmoor beauty spots.
A wood in Bickleigh, a car park in Roborough Down and an area near Meavy were among those littered in rubble, which included large wooden doors.
The mess cost more than £1,600 to clear up.

Chase Charles Inward, 25, is charged with escaping lawful custody and property damage.

Calgary police have recaptured a man who escaped custody by climbing through a bathroom ceiling after complaining of feeling ill.Police say the suspect had originally been arrested Tuesday on several property crime and transit violation warrants. While being processed, he complained of a medical problem and was taken to a downtown medical facility to be checked out.He was taken to a bathroom to provide a urine sample, and climbed out through a false ceiling by removing a tile.He was arrested Wednesday evening at an apartment complex.

Wilfredo Rodriguez Rosado. American Airlines employees that were caught up in the drug bust

Just recently, nine workers from American Airlines were charged with participating in a drug smuggling ring. This scheme saw cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico to the United States mainland by way of airport flights.The American Airlines employees that were caught up in the drug bust, turned out to be a mix of baggage handlers and other members of the ground crew. Apparently they took part in sending at least 19,840 pounds of cocaine into parts of the United States. Some of the locations where drugs were shipped to include Miami, Orlando, and New Jersey.Officers from the United States Drug Enforcement Administrations, as well as members from the FBI, arrested 22 members of the alleged smuggling ring, which does include the nine American Airlines workers. The raids took place early Tuesday and were called Operation Heavy Cargo.One of the employees that agreed to surrender was the ringleader, Wilfredo Rodriguez Rosado. The other men that were arrested were found in other cities all across the United States Caribbean territory and in Miami. A spokeswoman for American Airlines did confirm the arrests but was not able to give out any other kinds of details on the matter.Puerto Rico is actually a favored transshipment point for South American cocaine and heroin. This is because, once the drugs are able to reach the Caribbean islands, they no longer have to make it past customs. The drugs are free to make their way to the American market. Although security at the airport is tight, some say that this proves that it could be better.

Francisco Flores, 46, a former Brooklyn police sergeant, was arrested at his Staten Island home and ordered detained

Francisco Flores, 46, a former Brooklyn police sergeant, was arrested at his Staten Island home and ordered detained until a Friday bail hearing, according to a news release from the New Jersey District of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.The second suspect, Eduardo Baez, 36, of Brooklyn was arrested Wednesday afternoon and will likely appear in federal court today. Joseph James, 45, and Paul Nunez-Vargas, 32, both of Brooklyn were arrested August 27 and released on bail in connection with the alleged conspiracy, according to the news release.Federal authorities said the four men traveled from New York City to Elizabeth, N.J. August 12 in three separate cars -- snaking up and down dead end street to evade law enforcement surveillance -- as they scouted a neighborhood where they planned to buy drugs.The suspect’s driving didn’t fool federal agents who had been watching the group.“Based on my training and experience I recognize this driving pattern as counter-surveillance commonly used by narcotics traffickers to detect the presence of law enforcement,” one ICE Special Agent said in a criminal complaint.As agents watched, James exited a Mercedes carrying a plastic bag. He was confronted by authorities and said he was in the area to “do something that I know I shouldn’t be doing,” and to “buy three keys,” referring to cocaine, according to the complaint.Nunez-Vargas was in the same car and made similar statements to agents. Investigators reported they found $75,000 in the plastic bag and $22,500 in the Mercedes after the men consented to a search.
Flores, the retired sergeant, and Baez were stopped in a nearby convenience store. Both men allowed agents to search their cars with $500 in cash was found in Flores’ and a hidden compartment was found in Beaz’s car, according to a news release.According to the criminal complaint, Flores told agents he had recently retired from the NYPD and claimed he was in the area to purchase a motorcycle with friends in the Mercedes. Agents said he later changed his story and denied knowing the other men arrested. All four men have been charged with “conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine,” and could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Ravi David Singh of Atlantic Gardens, East Coast Demerara was yesterday remanded to prison

Ravi David Singh of Atlantic Gardens, East Coast Demerara was yesterday remanded to prison when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court accused of having a quantity of cocaine at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri.The man pleaded not guilty to the charge of trafficking in narcotics.He denied that on September 12 at the CJIA he trafficked in 3.19 kilogrammes of cocaine.The magistrate subsequently ordered that Singh be remanded to prison and transferred the case to the Providence Magistrate’s Court for October 23.The prosecution stated that the cocaine was in Singh’s luggage.

Derek Archie, who also goes by the name "Diese (pronounced Dice) Game" was arrested at the Days Inn

Derek Archie, who also goes by the name "Diese (pronounced Dice) Game" was arrested at the Days Inn in Auburn on Feb. 8 by the Finger Lakes Drug Task Force. When officers searched Archie's hotel room they found cocaine in his clothing, as well as hidden inside a secret compartment inside a safe that looked like a peanut butter jar, District Attorney Jon Budelmann said. Police also found glassine envelopes and $160 previously used in a drug sale that took place in the room, he said. Archie has prior convictions, that combined with his conviction Wednesday in a bench trial before visiting Wayne County Judge Stephen R. Sirkin, could push his sentence up to 12 years, Budelmann said. The case was tried by Assistant District Attorney Rome Canzano

Richard Munro, 23, from East Kilbride, admitted being concerned in the supply of amphetamine and cocaine.

Richard Munro, 23, from East Kilbride, admitted being concerned in the supply of amphetamine and cocaine. He was granted bail, and will be sentenced next month.
The court heard that Munro had been staying with a girlfriend in Fortrose, the village next to Rosemarkie, at the time of the offence.